Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Among aspects of the legislation that Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., finds problematic are a provision that would roll back requirements for doctors to report some “Sunshine Act” payments from drug companies, a measure that would permit drug companies to market drugs for unapproved uses as legalized fraud and provisions designed to speed approval for stem cell therapies.

Stat:
Elizabeth Warren Rips 21st Century Cures Bill, Vows To Fight It
Senator Elizabeth Warren on Monday railed against legislation that would ease standards for new drugs and medical devices, saying the bill had been “hijacked” by the pharmaceutical industry. With the legislation headed for a possible vote in the House this week, the Massachusetts senator accused Republican lawmakers of trying to extort Democrats by tying additional funds for medical research to the bill, known as the 21st Century Cures Act. “I cannot vote for this bill,’’ Warren said on the Senate floor, speaking to a largely empty chamber. “I will fight it because I know the difference between compromise and extortion.” (Kaplan, 11/28)

The New York Times:
$6.3 Billion Measure Aims To Cure Ailing Health Care Policies
In one of the most sweeping and rare bipartisan acts of this Congress, lawmakers will move this week on a $6.3 billion bill to increase funding for research into cancer and other diseases, address problems in the nation’s mental health systems and enact potentially far-reaching regulatory changes for drugs and medical devices. The bill, known as the 21st Century Cures Act, is the product of years of debates over health care policy issues, including how to track the federal drug regulatory structure with the fast-paced world of biotechnology, streamline the unwieldy mental health care system, and stem the widespread and intractable problem of opioid drug abuse. (Steinhauer and Tavernise, 11/28)

In other national health care news —

McClatchy:
Change That Health Care Law, Say Vast Majority Of Americans
President-elect Donald Trump is eager to change the nation’s health care law – and most Americans are eager for some changes, a new Gallup Poll released Monday found. ... Trump had pushed repeal, though recently said he’d retain the ban on barring insurers from excluding consumers with pre-existing conditions, and permitting people under 26 to remain on their parents’ policies. Gallup found that 43 percent of people want to see the law change significantly, but not repealed. Thirty-seven percent want it repealed and replaced. (Lightman, 11/28)

Politico:
GOP Eyes Best Chance In Years To Defund Planned Parenthood
Congressional Republicans are aiming to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood early next year, according to GOP sources on and off the Hill, as social conservatives press for a milestone win under Donald Trump's presidency after years of thwarted attempts to defund the health care group. (Haberkorn and Everett, 11/28)

The Wall Street Journal:
Testimony Shows Anthem And Cigna At Odds Over Proposed Merger
Newly unsealed court testimony shows health insurers Anthem Inc. and Cigna Corp. have significant disagreements about their proposed merger, offering fresh details about a rift that is highly unusual for two companies seeking to press ahead with such a deal. A trial on the planned merger began last week after the Justice Department decided to challenge it on antitrust grounds. (Kendall and Wilde Mathews, 11/28)

Modern Healthcare:
CMS' Star Ratings For Hospitals Linked To Social, Economic Factors
The CMS' hospital quality star ratings have been strongly criticized by industry stakeholders and Congress as unfairly tarnishing the reputations of hospitals in low-income communities. A new study reinforces the concerns, concluding that a hospital's rating is heavily influenced by its location's socio-economic conditions. Hospitals with relatively low star ratings from the CMS were located in cities with high “stress” levels, according to the study, published Monday in JAMA. The stress levels of cities were determined using a 2016 analysis from WalletHub, a finance website that measured socio-economic conditions like unemployment and poverty rates in 150 cities across the country. (Castellucci, 11/28)

The New York Times:
Obama’s Sacred Duty: Visiting The Wounded At Walter Reed
On Tuesday, for his 23rd and probably last time as president, Mr. Obama will helicopter to the military hospital to spend another afternoon with the wounded from Afghanistan and Iraq. ... Mr. Obama will arrive at the hospital in suburban Maryland on Marine One with a minimum of ceremony, having memorized the names of the wounded he will visit from a list he received the night before. (Harris, 11/29)

This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.